He’s done it at every stop since moving to the college football ranks in 2006. Arkansas, Tulsa, Auburn and Arkansas State have prospered from Malzahn’s presence.

Now, Auburn is hoping to recreate the success in 2009—which, of course, led to even greater success in 2010—with Malzahn not as the offensive coordinator, but as the Tigers' head coach.

He inherits an Auburn team that was, to be blunt, awful on offense a year ago. The Tigers managed just 224 points—only three Auburn teams have scored fewer since 1980—and finished 3-9 in one of their worst seasons in school history.

Gene Chizik was fired, just two seasons after his Cam Newton-led team finished 14-0 and won the BCS title. Malzahn was that team’s offensive coordinator and expectations are high that the Arkansas high school coaching legend who’s known to down a cup of coffee or two will get the Tigers’ offense straightened out and put them back on the path to competing for championships.

But realistically, what can Auburn expect?

Sporting News takes a look at Malzahn’s previous stops and how quarterbacks have fared in the coach’s first season compared to the season prior to Malzahn’s arrival.

After leading Springdale High School to the Arkansas 5A state title in 2005, Malzahn was hired as offensive coordinator at Arkansas in a move that turned heads around the SEC. His star QB Mitch Mustain and wide receiver Damian Williams followed him to Arkansas, where they joined head coach Houston Nutt.

The Razorbacks won the SEC West, but lost their final three games and Malzahn left after reported issues between his philosophy—spread the field and play fast—and Nutt’s. Also, Mustain and Williams both transferred to USC.

Pre-Malzahn (2005): Robert Johnson and Casey Dick tag-teamed at quarterback. Johnson completed 56.3 percent of his passes for 876 yards, five TDs and six interceptions. Dick completed 53.5 percent for 584 yards, seven TDs and four interceptions.

Notable: The Razorbacks improved their win total from four games to 10. In 2005, they averaged 216.9 yards rushing per game and improved that to 228.5 in 2006 with Darren McFadden and Felix Jones both topping the 1,000-yard mark. The QBs under Malzahn threw for more yards, but weren't much better than 2005. The Razorbacks' running game was their bread and butter.

With Malzahn (2007): Smith went from the 29th-rated passer in 2006 to No. 4 in 2007 behind only Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow and Dennis Dixon—and ahead of the likes of Colt Brennan, Graham Harrell and Colin Kaepernick. Smith threw for 5,065 yards—second nationally to Harrell—completed 60.1 percent of his passes with 47 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

Notable: Tulsa jumped from eight wins to 10—the Golden Hurricane’s first double-digit wins season since 1991—and improved its scoring average from 27.7 points to 41.1.

One of the 2008 season’s most-defining moments was a 3-2 victory in Starkville, Miss., on national TV. It was the game that set back offense some 20 years. Auburn managed just 4 total yards on four fourth-quarter possessions before Ben Tate reeled off a 39-yard run on third-and-8 to seal the outcome. Coordinator Tony Franklin was fired after six games, Tommy Tuberville was fired at the end of the season and Chizik was hired. Securing Malzahn as coordinator was one of his first big decisions.

Pre-Malzahn (2008): Chris Todd and Kodi Burns struggled. Burns completed 52.5 percent of his passes for 1,050 yards, two TDs and seven interceptions. Todd hit 55.1 percent of his throws for 903 yards, five TDs and six picks.

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Auburn, Part 1: With Malzahn

With Malzahn (2009): Malzahn put the offense on Todd’s shoulders—bold since the senior QB was bothered by right shoulder issues much of his stay at Auburn. The result was surprising: Todd completed 60.4 percent of his passes for 2,612 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions. At the time, Todd’s season yardage total was the third-best in Auburn history.

Notable: Auburn improved its points-per-game average from 17.3 to 33.3, and its wins from five to eight. The season also laid the groundwork for 2010 when Cam Newton arrived and, as a dual-threat QB, led Auburn to its first national title since 1957.

Rumored to be a head coaching candidate since Auburn’s 2010 BCS-title season, Malzahn accepted the top job at Arkansas State. It was surprising to an extent, considering he’d been mentioned as a candidate at Vanderbilt and North Carolina, among others, but Malzahn does have roots in Arkansas.

Before Malzahn (2011): Ryan Aplin completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 3,588 yards, 19 TDs and 16 interceptions for a Red Wolves team that finished 10-3.

With Malzahn (2012): Aplin returned for his senior season and was more efficient. He completed 68 percent of his passes—he threw 70 fewer times—for 3,342 yards, 24 TDs and just four interceptions.

Notable: Both Arkansas State teams were 10-3. Aplin was an adept runner, totaling 588 rushing yards in 2011 and 438 under Malzahn. At the same time, Arkansas State increased its rushing yards per game from 154.2 to 206.2.

After a single season at Arkansas State, the opportunity to return to the SEC where he won a national title was too good for Malzahn to pass up when Auburn AD Jay Jacobs extended the offer. As when he arrived in 2009, Malzahn finds an offense with identity issues. With personnel for the spread, the Tigers struggled while becoming a pro-style attack in 2012 and the second half of 2011. Malzahn inherits many of the same players he recruited to run the spread.

With Malzahn (2013): On Monday night, Malzahn announced that the team's two newcomers at the position—Nick Marshall, a junior college transfer, and Jeremy Johnson, Mr. Football in the state of Alabama—have separated from the pack and will compete for the top job. In fact, he added that Frazier is moving to safety. Marshall is a speedster, a former Georgia cornerback who played QB at Garden City (Kan.) Community College last season and threw for more than 3,000 yards and ran for more than 1,000. Johnson is an imposing 6-foot-6 freshman with a big arm and excellent composure. "We really felt that they've done enough that we really needed to give them a chance to win the job," Malzahn told reporters.

Notable: Malzahn had made it clear that all four quarterbacks would get the chance to prove themselves this fall. But after two scrimmages, Marshall and Johnson emerged as frontrunners. Expect Malzahn and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee to figure out who’s the lead man soon.